A friend recently gave me a fun challenge. He wanted me to take the text from Matthew 14:22—the story of Peter walking out on the water toward Jesus—and then create dialogue to follow the famous "You of little faith, why did you doubt" line.
Here's my take on it, starting with the biblical text:
Matthew 14:22-31 nrsv
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."
Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
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Peter responded, "Lord, I doubted because I began to sink. I was sure you wouldn't let me sink." Jesus said to him, "Did you believe you would die?" He said, "Yes, Lord, I felt as if I might die." Jesus said, "I had told you to take heart, and to not be afraid. I was telling you to trust me." Peter replied, "How was I to avoid fear with the strong wind beating on me, and then sinking into the water?" Jesus said to Peter, "Trust is born out of uncertainty." Peter responded with great frustration, "But Lord, trust is born out of a person showing themselves to be trustworthy—to have only good intentions for another."
At this point Jesus walked Peter to the shore, and sat down with him by the tree line. "Peter, there will always be reason to doubt. A mother can prove her love for her child over and over again, but in extreme circumstances, the child will still fail to fully trust the mother. In the same way, life will throw challenges your way that will give you great anxiety. I am asking that you trust me most in those times of greatest challenge. That no matter what you may face, you will choose trust over fear, and hold fast to faith over worry." Peter then said, "Lord, how can I, as a mere man, do this?" Jesus replied, "Often, you will fail to trust me. However, the goal is to move toward trust. This will take your entire life's time. My Spirit is in you, even when you are unaware."
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